The weekly sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1887-06-02
KELLY ON THE SOUTH.
He Records His Observance of Progress
in this Section.

in this Section.
Congressman Kelly, of Pennsyl-
vania, who has just returned to Wash
ington from an extended tour through
some of the Southern States, begun
last March, in an interview with a
Washington Star reporter, records his
observances of progress in that section
of the country and predicts great
future for the New South.
Mr.. Kelly said: " In 1878, when I
visited Florida, the people there SEEM
ed to be without hope or aspiration,
but for the last six or seven years the
State has taken a position in the first
ranks of the New South. The people
are energetic and confident of the flu
ture From Kesseminie City and
Rock Ledge, visited farms on the
lands reclaimed by the Drainage
Company ON native alluvial fields and
after careful inspection, am pre-
pared to say that Florida is destined
to higher sank among the agricultu-
raj States of the Union. The rich soil
is being intelligently cultivated with
great profit. When I left Florida it
was for season of rest at Admission,
Ala, one of the new cities that has
grown up in the mineral regions.
From Admission I made excursions to
other towns in Alabama and in Geor-
gia. After a months stay at Annis-
ton, turned my steps towards Ten
nessee, passed ten days most pleasant
ly at South Pittsburg, which as An
niston has just done, will soon surprise
the country by establishing itself as
an industrial center of large proper
lions and great activity. Every where
throughout the mineral regions of the
South enterprise and prosperity are
moving hand in hand, nor is this pros
perity of the New South confined to
its mineral regions, though the pow
erty and listlessness which character
lied the poor people of the old South,
still prevail to a considerable extent.
In her cotton fields there is a large
boom of enterprise and Improvement
which is rapidly curing that. Those
which have caught the spirit of pro-
gress do not longer pillow their fields
with single mule plows. They have
learned the value of deep blowing and
of following the chill pillow by heavy
subsoil pillow. They continue to grow
some cotton, bnt not open the surface
of exhausted fields, and they diversity
their crops. [ am speaking now of
the progressive agriculturist. The
Representatives of the new Sonsh in
stead Of one crop of cotton they have
fields of wheat, rye, clover and other
crops. And to save their old time
"guano bills, as they call bills ecr
manufactured fertilizers, they tuta
under grain crops and aid that with
manure from stock and we'll fed herds
! of cattle.
The great boom of the South is near
at hand, and it will not be confined to
the mineral regions of that richest Sec
ton of that country, but it will in
clude the agricultural regions as we'll. y
In response to the questionss Judge
Kelly said that evidences of pro-
gressive farming were not confined to
any State or county, but were visible
in places all over the State. In the
vicinity of the rapid developing min
eral regions, he says the farms are
models of good management and thrift.
Within four miles of Admission, Ala,
he saw some of the finest herds of Jer-
sey cattle and one of the largest diaries
he had ever inspected. It was built
up and owned by native of Ala
bama. Near Rome, Ga, he saw herds
of cattle and diaries that would do
credit to Pennsylvania or New York.